Tunnel construction.



PATENTBD AUG. 25, whs.

D. PHILLIPS. TUNNEL CONSTRUCTION.

PPLIATION FILED APR. 9. 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET i.4

N0 MODEL.

No. 737,466. i PATLNTLD NULL-25, 1'903.

D. PHILLIPS. TUNNEL CONSTRUCTION.

APPLIOATIDN FILED APR. 9, 1903. N0 MODEL. I 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

A TTORNEXS.

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Patented August 25, 1903.

PATENT OEEICE.

DAVID PHILLIPS, OF PONY, MONTANA.

TUNNEL CONSTRUCTION.

SEECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 737,466, dated August 25, 1903. Application filed April 9, 1903. Serial No. 151,729. (Nn model.)

To {ir/ZZ 11171/0771/ it sagem/warn:

Be it known that I, DAVID PHILLIPS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pony, in the county of Madison and State of Montana, have invented a new and Improved Tunnel Construction, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

'lhis invention relates to improvements in the method of constructing tunnels under water and on the bed of a stream, an object being to provide an improved means whereby a submerged tunnel may be rapidly and economically constructed.

I will describe a tunnel construction embodying myl invention and then point out the novel features in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section showing an outer casing in which the tunnel-Wall is to be constructed. Fig. 2 is a sectional detail showing a portion of a bulkhead employed. Fig. 3 is an elevation partly in section and illustrating the tunnel in course of construction. Fig. 4 is a section on the line of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a perspective View of a bulkhead-ring employed. Fig. 6 is a section on the line y y of Fig. 1, and Fig. '7 is a section on the line z z of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a casing consisting of canvas or other material that may be readily distended by the introduction of air. This casing is to be made water and air proof, and, as here shown, it is made in two sections-that is, an upper section 2 and a lower section 3 -designed to be secured together by any suitable means. As

here shown, the sections are overlapped, and..

bolts are passed through these overlapped portions. It may be here stated that when the casing or upper portion thereof is to be removed the bolts may be taken out by a diver. The lower section 3 of the casing is attached to an anchoring device consisting of hollow metal beams or ties 4, which are designed to rest upon a prepared bed in the river or stream or may rest on suspended cables. These beams or ties are filled with broken stone, pieces of iron, or other suitable material that will cause them to sink with the casing, and adjacent beams or ties are secured together by means of eyebolts 5, engaging with the beams or ties and connected one with another byalink 6. VFor convenience in spacing the connecting devices the eyebolts are reversely threaded-that is, one bolt has a left-hand thread, while the other bolt has a right-hand thread. The bottom portion of the casing is secured to the beams or ties by means of bolts 7, and stay-plates 8 maybe arranged between the nuts on the bolts and the canvas, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3. This casing, with the anchoring device, is` to be paid 0E from a vessel, and extended from one side of the river or stream to the other side and at suitable intervalssay at about one hundred feet apart-bulkheads are secured in the casing. Each bulkhead consists of a ring or frame 9, having an enlarged diameter or portion designed to be bolted tothe casing and a reduced diameter, which will permit the building of the tunnel-wall between said ring or frame and the interior of the casing, and bolted to this reduced portion is a plate lO. The plate 10 is provided with a valve 11,

which may be opened after completing a section of the tunnel to permit the air to pass into the next space of the casing in which the tunnel is to be continued. After passing the tunnel-wall through the ring or frame 9 the reduced portion is to be bolted to the tunnelwall, and a stay-ring 12 may be placed around said ring or casing. The main or permanent tunnel-wall consists of segmental plates 13, which have inwardly-extended flanges at the edges, through which bolts pass to secure one plate to another.

In the operation after sinking the casing, asbefore mentioned, air is to be forced into the first section thereof and then the building of the tunnel may be commenced. When the tunnel-wall is built up to the first bulkhead and the said wall is suitably bolted or secured to the ring or frame 9, the valve 11 of said bulkhead is to be opened, permitting the air to pass into the next section, and then the plate 10 is to be removed, so that the building of the tunnelwall may be continued. 'After buildinga section of the tunnel the casing over said section is to be cut ICO around at the bulkhead and then loosened from the lower section, so that the upper section may be removed by any suitable means.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a tunnel construction, an expansible casing in which the tunnel-wall may be built, and means for anchoring said casing under Water.

2.' In a tunnel construction, an expansible casing in Which the tunnel-wall may be built, means for anchoring said casing under water, and bulkheads removably placed in said casing.

3. In a tunnel construction, a casing consisting/ofiniiatable material, the said material being water and air proof, and anchoring beams or ties to which the lower portion of the casing is secured.

4. In a tunnel construction, a series of beams or ties adapted to rest on the bed of a stream, means for connecting the beams or ties one with another, and an-iniiatable, iiexible casing secured to said beams or ties.

5. In a tunnel construction, vhollow beams or ties, weighting material vplaced in said beams or ties, screw-bolts and links connecting the beams or ties, a casing constructed of canvas consisting of separable upper and lower sections, and means for securing the lower section to the beams or ties.

6. In a tunnel construction, an inflatable casing, means for anchoring said casing on the bed of a watercourse, and bulkheads arranged in said casing, each bulkhead consisting of a ring or frame, a plate removably attached to said ring or frame, and a valve in said plate.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

v DAVID PHILLIPS.

Titnessesc JOHN P. LEWIS, FRANK WALTERs. 

